Poetry is Lucien Stryk’s escape from the everyday.

Stryk, an English professor at NIU, does more than just teach creative writing and poetry classes; he is a renowned poet who translates and also writes his own poetry. His latest book of poetry, “Of Pen and Ink and Paper Scraps” was published in 1989.

This most recent book is only one of twenty-nine different books that Stryk has had published in his lifetime. “Writing has become part of my life. It is something you just do when you have been doing it for so long,” Stryk said.

Stryk has been writing since he was 17 years old and published his first book in his early 20’s. “My parents encouraged me (to write) as did high school teachers. My parents also had a great interest in poetry,” Stryk stated.

Much of Stryk’s poetry deals with the Asian culture and its beliefs. He claims that it is just something that interests him and he has spent a lot of time traveling, especially in the Asian countries. Stryk has studied the philosophical aspects of Asian culture and Buddhism, while also learning the Japanese language.

Stryk has written 12 books of his own poetry and translated many others. Not suprisingly, the majority of his translations come from the Asian culture.

“Of Pen and Ink and Paper Scraps” is split into three parts dealing with, Stryk’s childhood and social awareness issues, translations of Igga – a Haiku poet and Stryk’s interest in art and travel.

Currently, Stryk has begun another book which will translate more of Igga’s poetry. Stryk said, “It’s part of my life, going from one book to another.”

Stryk will have a reading of his work on April 16 at 8:30 p.m. in the Wesley Foundation Center located south of the Founders Memorial Library on the corner of Carroll and Locust.

For those interested in reading Stryk’s “Of Pen and Ink and Paper Scraps,” it is available at the Holmes Student Center Bookstore. Go ahead – take a vacation from the everyday.